Robinson comes top of our Cambridge college accommodation ranking, because all undergraduates live in the College grounds for their whole course, and Churchill and Downing follow for the same on-site reason. This is Unifresher's own ranking, since no official one exists. We rank on how long rooms are promised and how close they are, then en-suite share and published 2026-27 rent, not on exam results.
Our picks for Cambridge college accommodation
These are Unifresher's editorial picks, based on the prices, contracts and locations listed below. No hall paid to be here.
All undergraduates live in the College grounds for their original course, around half in en-suite rooms.
Central Site rents start at £147.70 a week for 2026-27, one of the lowest published starting points we could compare.
Every undergraduate lives within five minutes' walk of the College's main facilities.
Its published rents of £2,084.98 to £3,158.13 per term are the highest we found, and you can live in from October to June.
The best Cambridge college accommodation
Jump to a hall
1. Robinson College
Robinson takes first place because it says all undergraduates live within the College grounds for the whole of their original course, the clearest on-site promise we found. Around half the rooms are en-suite, the rest share between 2 or 3 people, and no bedrooms are shared. We could not find a published rent, so ask the College before comparing costs.
Worth knowing: We found no published room rent on the pages we could read.
Key facts
Popular with: University of Cambridge
Where: Main site for all years
Best for: Every year on the College site
2. Churchill College
Churchill guarantees on-site rooms for the duration of a three or four year course, in staircases shared with students from other subjects and years. Its rooms are modern, all have a sink, 40% are en-suite and most have double beds. The University profile also describes the accommodation as affordable, although we could not find a figure.
Worth knowing: Snack kitchens are aimed at light cooking, and we found no published rent.
Key facts
Popular with: University of Cambridge
Where: Main site for all years
Best for: Modern rooms and double beds
3. Downing College
Downing keeps all undergraduate accommodation on the main College site, which the University profile calls unusual for Cambridge. It guarantees 3 years, around half the rooms are en-suite, and all have kitchen access. It sits below Robinson and Churchill only because a fourth year may be available but is not guaranteed.
Worth knowing: A fourth year is not guaranteed, so check if your course runs longer.
Key facts
Popular with: University of Cambridge
Where: Main site for three years
Best for: Three-year courses, everything on one site
4. Fitzwilliam College
Fitzwilliam publishes something most colleges do not: first-year rents per week, £186 to £230 for fully en-suite and £186 to £203 for semi en-suite in 2026-27. Students are guaranteed rooms for their course, most of them semi or fully en-suite. A kitchen fixed charge and minimum meal charge are added on top, so include those when you compare.
Worth knowing: The kitchen fixed charge and minimum meal charge come on top of the rent.
Key facts
Popular with: University of Cambridge
Where: Within 5 minutes of main site
Getting in: Rooms are never more than a 5-minute walk from the main College site, according to the College.
Best for: Clear weekly rents and modern rooms
5. Jesus College
Jesus offers all undergraduates a room on site or just across the road, with most rooms recently refurbished. It publishes rents by licence: for a 29-week first-year short licence in 2026-27, non-en-suite rooms are £4,677 to £4,870 and en-suite rooms are £6,063 to £6,984. Rent includes internet, utilities, communal cleaning and laundry, which makes comparison easier.
Worth knowing: En-suite first-year rooms cost about £1,400 more for the year than the cheapest rooms.
Key facts
Popular with: University of Cambridge
Where: Main site or across the road
Getting in: All undergraduates live in the main College buildings or College-owned houses just across the road.
Best for: Refurbished rooms with free laundry
6. Christ's College
Christ's keeps every undergraduate within five minutes of the College, and you do not need to apply for a room once you meet your offer. Rents for 2026-27 run from £1,610 to £2,472 a term, with most between £1,610 and £2,034, including insurance, heating, electricity, internet, kitchens and cleaning. Around half of rooms are en-suite, and it was second in the 2025 Tompkins Table.
Worth knowing: The University describes a wide mix of buildings, so room quality varies by year and ballot.
Key facts
Popular with: University of Cambridge
Where: Within 5 minutes of main site
Getting in: All undergraduates are accommodated within five minutes' walk of the main College facilities.
Best for: Central rooms with all-in pricing
7. Selwyn College
Selwyn guarantees accommodation for the 3 or 4 years of your course and says 65% of rooms are en-suite, the highest figure we found on any Cambridge profile. It has three main courts, plus hostels along Grange Road, West Road and Fulbrooke Road. Rent codes appear on its floorplans, which helps you compare once you know your room band.
Worth knowing: We could not find a published 2026-27 rent list, and later years may mean a hostel.
Key facts
Popular with: University of Cambridge
Where: Courts plus nearby hostels
Getting in: Near the University Library and many Faculty buildings, according to the University profile.
Best for: A high share of en-suite rooms
8. Trinity Hall
Trinity Hall gives all undergraduates a College room for the first three or four years and publishes weekly rents by site. Central Site rooms on the river are £147.70 to £253.25 for 2026-27, which is one of the lowest starting points on this list. Some buildings are 14th-century, and others are modern en-suites in nearby blocks.
Worth knowing: Bishop Bateman Court is under renovation and unavailable in Michaelmas Term 2026.
Key facts
Popular with: University of Cambridge
Where: Central Site, Wychfield and Thompson's Lane
Best for: Weekly rents you can compare
9. St Catharine's College
St Catharine's guarantees rooms for 3 or 4 year courses and publishes one of the clearest rent tables in Cambridge. In 2026-27 a short contract runs from £1,529 per term in Band 1 to £2,429 in Band 9, and a long contract from £1,693 to £2,698. Publishing every band lets you budget before you ever see a room.
Worth knowing: Your band depends on your room, so your actual charge is only known after allocation or the ballot.
Key facts
Popular with: University of Cambridge
Where: Whole course guaranteed
Best for: Transparent room bands
10. King's College
King's guarantees rooms for every undergraduate year, with much of its accommodation on site or central. For 2026-27 the cheapest rent is £1,617.67 per term on a 29-week short contract, and the most expensive is £2,750.67 per term on a 35-week long contract. Rent includes heating, electricity, water, internet, the kitchen fixed charge and possessions insurance.
Worth knowing: Staying through the vacations needs a long contract at higher rent.
Key facts
Popular with: University of Cambridge
Where: Central Cambridge
Best for: City-centre living and inclusive rents
11. St John's College
St John's guarantees rooms throughout your course, from medieval sets to the brutalist Cripps Building, and lets you stay from October until June. Rents for 2026-27 are £2,084.98 to £3,158.13 per term, the highest we found. It suits students who want to keep their room and belongings in Cambridge through the vacations.
Worth knowing: It has the highest published termly rents on this list.
Key facts
Popular with: University of Cambridge
Where: Central Cambridge
Best for: Keeping your room October to June
12. Pembroke College
Pembroke houses all first years on the main site, then later years on site or in nearby College-owned houses, throughout your course. Its rent bands are weekly, with Band A at £222.81 and Band B at £207.23 for 2026/27, but the full band list was blocked when we checked. It sits here because we could not confirm the lowest rent.
Worth knowing: We could only read the top two rent bands, so ask for the full list.
Key facts
Popular with: University of Cambridge
Where: Main site or nearby houses
Best for: First years all on the main site
13. Trinity College
Trinity's charges are about £4,830 to £6,900 a year, including heating, electricity and gas, on its finance page, which does not print a year. Most rooms are in the main College buildings, and the rest are in Burrell's Field beyond the Fellows' Garden. It ranks lower because its wording is that it aims to house all undergraduates, not a guarantee, and it tops the Tompkins Table for exam results rather than rooms.
Worth knowing: The College says it aims to house all undergraduates rather than guaranteeing it.
Key facts
Popular with: University of Cambridge
Where: Main College buildings and Burrell's Field
Best for: Grand buildings and a choice of price band
14. Corpus Christi College
Corpus says a room in College or a nearby hostel will normally be available for your first three years, and it undertakes to find rooms for fourth years, though not where. Rooms are spacious and full of character, some are sets, but very few are en-suite. The chance to live in a medieval court is real, and on bathrooms and published prices it trails this list.
Worth knowing: Very few rooms are en-suite, and we found no published rent list.
Key facts
Popular with: University of Cambridge
Where: Main site and nearby hostels
Getting in: Hostels are nearby. The Trumpington Street hostel is about ten minutes' walk from the main site.
Best for: Historic rooms in a small college
Anglia Ruskin University halls in Cambridge
Not at the University of Cambridge? Anglia Ruskin students have their own halls, which are outside the college ranking above.
Swinhoe House
Swinhoe is the cheap way to live on ARU's campus, with twin rooms from £125.44 and standard rooms from £139.65 a week. It is small, at 126 rooms, and only 11 of them are en-suite, so most people share a bathroom with five to seven others. Mill Road's independent shops and restaurants are five minutes' walk away.
Worth knowing: Most rooms are not en-suite, with only 11 en-suite rooms in the building.
See Swinhoe House on the official sitePeter Taylor House
This is the biggest of ARU's three campus halls, with 256 rooms in 38 flats, and every room has its own bathroom. Rent starts at £183.75 for a standard en-suite, which we think is the better buy over the £197.61 refurbished room unless the newer finish matters to you. With five to ten people to a kitchen, flats vary a lot in size, so ask which you have been given.
Worth knowing: Kitchens can be shared between up to ten students.
See Peter Taylor House on the official siteAnastasia House
Anastasia House is across the road from campus, in ten flats with a shared common room, and 61 rooms are en-suite. Odd but worth knowing: ARU lists its standard en-suite and non en-suite rooms at the same £206.50, so ask for the en-suite. It is the priciest of the three halls at the starting rate, and its £224.35 one-bedroom flat tops the list.
Worth knowing: ARU's chart charges the same £206.50 for rooms with or without an en-suite.
See Anastasia House on the official siteWhere students live in Cambridge
Central courts
King's, St John's and Trinity place students in or near the historic centre. These suit people who want to be close to town and their friends.
Worth knowing: Older rooms can vary widely, so your year and ballot position matter.
West of the river
Selwyn's courts and hostels, around Grange Road and West Road, are near the University Library and many Faculty buildings. Caius first years are on its West Road site.
Worth knowing: Hostels may be a short walk from the main College site.
Self-contained sites
Robinson, Churchill and Downing keep everyone on one site, with Churchill set in gardens and sports grounds. These suit people who want an easy community feel.
Worth knowing: Check how far each site is from your department before you apply.
When to apply for Cambridge college accommodation
- When you apply to CambridgeChoose your college with location, accommodation and costs in mind, which the University lists as things to check.
- After you meet your offerYour college usually gives you a room. At Christ's, you do not have to apply for accommodation.
- Before you arriveSome colleges ask for preferences. Trinity asks for a room charge band, and Corpus tells students their room and rent around the beginning of September.
- Lent TermCorpus holds its room ballot during Lent Term for the following year. Other colleges, including Churchill and Sidney Sussex, also use a ballot.
of the 500 UK students in our 2026 Student Experience Survey had hit at least one housing issue. Housemates (34%), the property itself (32%) and Wi-Fi (29%) came up most, so read the contract and ask about repairs and internet before you commit.
Keep planning your move to Cambridge
FAQs
Which Cambridge college has the best accommodation?
On our criteria, Robinson, because all undergraduates live in the College grounds for their whole original course and around half of rooms are en-suite. Churchill and Downing come next for keeping students on site. No official ranking exists, and best depends on you: Selwyn stands out for en-suites, and Trinity Hall for low published rent.
How is this Cambridge college accommodation ranking worked out?
We use published facts in this order: how long a room is promised and how close it is to the main site, then the stated en-suite share, then published 2026-27 rent. Colleges without a confirmed rent sit lower within their group. We do not use student reviews, star ratings or exam results, and it remains our editorial judgement.
Is there an official Cambridge college accommodation ranking?
No. The University does not rank college accommodation, and the colleges do not rank themselves. The Tompkins Table is a different thing: it is an unofficial ranking of exam results, which says nothing about rooms. Varsity's 2025 report put Trinity first and Christ's second. Our previous version of this page used that table.
Are all Cambridge undergraduates guaranteed a college room?
Largely, but read the wording. King's says Cambridge guarantees accommodation throughout undergraduate courses, and most college profiles agree. Downing, Clare and Queens' state three years, Corpus says rooms will normally be available for the first three years, and Trinity says it aims to house all undergraduates. Ask about a fourth year if your course is longer.
How much does Cambridge college accommodation cost?
The University's living costs page estimates £880 a month for accommodation. Colleges vary and publish rent differently: Christ's charges £1,610 to £2,472 a term in 2026-27, St John's £2,084.98 to £3,158.13 a term, and Fitzwilliam £186 to £230 a week for first-year rooms. Check contract length and what is included before comparing.
Which Cambridge colleges have the most en-suite rooms?
Of the colleges that state a share on their University profiles, Selwyn is highest at 65%. Christ's, Downing and Robinson all say around half, and Churchill says 40%. Homerton says most of its bedrooms are en-suite without giving a number, and Corpus says very few are. Many colleges do not publish a share.
Do Cambridge colleges have catered accommodation?
Colleges generally run dining halls and charge for meals as you eat them, rather than including them in rent. King's says a one-course meal typically costs £3 to £4. Some charge extras, such as Fitzwilliam's kitchen fixed charge and minimum meal charge. Most rooms have access to basic kitchens, but the facilities vary by college.
When do you apply for Cambridge college accommodation?
You usually do not apply separately. Your college gives you a room once you meet your offer, and you choose a college when you apply to Cambridge, so look at accommodation first. Christ's says you do not need to apply. In later years many colleges allocate rooms through an annual ballot.
Where do Anglia Ruskin University students live in Cambridge?
ARU runs three on-campus halls: Swinhoe House from £125.44 a week, Peter Taylor House from £183.75 and Anastasia House from £206.50, for 2026/27 with bills included. All are about 40 weeks, need no guarantor, and take £400 advance rent. Rooms go first come, first served, so apply once you firmly accept. ARU also offers shared houses and partner blocks such as CB1.
Official resources
- Anglia Ruskin University accommodation Official halls information
- Cambridge college profiles Official profile for every college
- Cambridge living costs Official monthly cost estimates
- Choosing a college What to weigh up, including accommodation
- St Catharine's residence charges A full example of room bands
- Tompkins Table 2025 report Exam rankings, not room rankings
Run student accommodation in Cambridge?
Put your rooms in front of students choosing where to live. Talk to us about clearly labelled partner placements and campaigns.
How we built this guide: prices, contract lengths and facilities come from university and operator websites where they publish them, and from named listing sites otherwise. We checked them in November 2026 and each price links to its source. Rent for the contract is our own sum of the lowest listed weekly rent multiplied by its charged weeks, before any deposit, booking fee or discount. Rooms sell out and prices change, so confirm with the provider before you book. How we compare student accommodation.